Chapter 12
Sensing the imminent danger, Ray trembled and swiftly glided through the water. In response, the crocodile darted forward with its powerful jaws but failed to catch anything. Ray let out a sigh of relief.
Realizing that there was something peculiar about this place, Ray did his best to remain composed. Observing the crocodile, which appeared like an old log, Ray struck its body while his S rank skill was still active. "Good!" he exclaimed as the crocodile was propelled backward.
Taking advantage of the moment, Ray accelerated toward the water's surface. Although the massive crocodile experienced a brief delay due to the previous blow, it relentlessly pursued Ray with intense hatred.
As Ray reached the water's surface, a wide expanse came into view. Without wasting any time, he swam towards the nearby beach in a desperate attempt to escape the ferocious beasts. Given that crocodiles are adept swimmers, their abilities surpassed those of humans who primarily reside on land. Despite Ray's proximity to the shore, the crocodile glided through the water with such speed that it almost caught up to him.
Ray found himself in a precarious situation. Furthermore, he noticed another creature, a beast, waiting for him on the beach, which was his intended destination. After a moment of contemplation, a sly glimmer appeared in Ray's eyes.
With great determination, Ray continued swimming frantically towards the beach. Amidst the tension and hope, anxiety also gnawed at him. He was on the verge of reaching his goal, yet the alligator was on the brink of devouring him.
Fortunately, Ray managed to reach the beach just in time. However, the crocodile, seeing that its prey had stepped onto the shallow ground, refused to accept defeat. It gathered momentum and charged toward Ray.
Ray, sensing the massive movement behind him, couldn't help but smirk mockingly. "Hahaha, this is what I've been waiting for, you newt!" With that, Ray plucked another hair and activated it, executing a graceful leap.
"Swoshhh!"
"kABOM!"
Ray employed the same tactic he used when fighting Xiaobai earlier, but this time it wasn't a space that his opponent collided with—it was another creature!
"Roar!!!"
A sinister roar reverberated through the air. The beast that had been struck by the crocodile was no ordinary animal. Ray, realizing this, took advantage of the distraction on the other side, diving back into the water before resurfacing.
After a while, Ray finally witnessed the clash between the two unfamiliar beasts. It wasn't that they were extraterrestrial creatures, but rather, Ray had spent his life in the city and had never visited a zoo.
Fresh blood dripped from the large bear's body as a result of the previous attack. Despite the crocodile's initial assault, it held no advantage in the encounter. The mighty bear gripped the crocodile tightly, repeatedly slamming its reptilian adversary onto the ground, rendering the crocodile powerless and insignificant.
Ray, silently observing his surroundings, remained still, cautious of any potential attacks from other creatures. He dared not move, as there were two enormous beings before him.
After some time, the battle between the massive brown bear and the motionless crocodile came to an end. Neither beast emerged victorious; they appeared both injured and foolish. Perhaps not wishing to perish together, the two creatures retreated with an unspoken agreement. The crocodile returned to the water, while the bear disappeared into the forest. Finally, Ray could breathe a sigh of relief.
Ray waited a little longer, fearing that both sides were merely feigning departure and setting a trap for him. Once he felt assured, Ray cautiously began making his way toward the beach.
As he arrived at the beach, Ray couldn't help but gulp in fear. "What would have happened if I had been caught between those two massive creatures!" He stared at his surroundings in horror.
While surveying the area, Ray's eyes gleamed with excitement, as if there were a fire burning within them. "Ah, this is like a rainbow after the storm!" he exclaimed.
With enthusiasm, Ray hurried towards a cluster of irregular objects with a worn brown surface. Ignoring the worn side, he eagerly dipped his finger, coated in a sticky liquid, into his mouth. "Ah, it's sweet!" he exclaimed, delighted. Ray then eagerly gathered the worn brown objects and stored them in his storage ring.
After collecting all the worn brown objects, Ray could finally continue his journey home after a lengthy delay. Delighted, he unconsciously hummed along the way.
...
"Dududu..."
A young man, shirtless, hummed cheerfully as he carved wood in front of a warm bonfire. His appearance was distinctive, with excitement, concentration, the nocturnal ambiance, and the fiery reflection on his skin blending into one.
"Even though it hurts, I must continue sculpting!" Ray excitedly gritted his teeth.
In front of Ray, aside from the chisel in his hand, lay the carcasses of turtles, wolves, and rabbits that he had acquired. The young man had used the Tesseract within his sea of knowledge to record the corpses.
Ray initially believed that the Tesseract could only copy visualizations of objects, but he was astonished by the intricate and detailed three-dimensional images it produced. It felt almost magical as if he were gazing upon a real rabbit in the visualization.
Motivated by this, Ray decided to start sculpting. Moreover, he remembered his sister's sorrowful cries, and he hoped that his creations could alleviate her sadness, at least to some extent.
It had been over four hours since Ray had arrived at the camp. Despite his injuries, he managed to sculpt two statues from each of the animals he had brought. Although the sculptures were not yet completed and only had basic proportional shapes, Ray felt satisfied. He had yet to add facial expressions, fur patterns, and other intricate details. Besides the time it took, Ray also felt somewhat awkward since it was his first attempt at sculpting. However, he quickly became more relaxed and accustomed to the process.
Perhaps it was due to his Tesseract cube or the precision and care he had developed while handling knives while binding books, but Ray was now able to walk with some difficulty towards the steaming pot on the ground.
Peering into the pot, Ray nodded in satisfaction. Earlier, he had wrapped the beehive he obtained from the bear and crocodile battle area with a wide gauze. Ray then placed it in the steam pot and struck the wrapped honeycomb with several crushed and cleaned rocks to separate the honey and beeswax.
Satisfied with the outcome, Ray got up and made his way back to the bonfire. He prepared to process the animal corpses into usable raw materials. Starting with the horned rabbit, Ray's hand movements were remarkably smooth, as if the knife effortlessly carved through butter. This proficiency was likely a result of Ray's experiences in his previous life, where he would participate in special occasions or festivals involving animal slaughter and distribution to those in need. He would often be deeply involved in the celebrations, even slaughtering three to four large cows in a single day.
After skillfully skinning the rabbit, Ray carefully gouged the animal's head to find the energy-filled essence core. "Wow, this is beautiful! Well, even if it's small," Ray exclaimed before regaining his composure. Setting the core aside, he proceeded to chop the rabbit into small pieces and plunged them into the boiling pot without hesitation, continuing his processing activities.
Ray followed a similar process with the wolf's corpse, leaving the body intact but removing its fur and essence core.
As for the turtle he had obtained from the lake, Ray found himself at a loss. He was unsure of what to do with the hard shell.
Ray continued his activities until dinner was complete. Afterward, he promptly packed his belongings, leaving the tent and some food utensils accessible. Ray made this arrangement because he anticipated a lack of time to pack the following day.
Once everything was organized, Ray eagerly moved towards the empty area that was still concealed by the array. In his hand, he held a small blue crystal, resting beautifully, awaiting Ray's activation of his special talent.
Feeling nervous yet hopeful, the young man tightly gripped the crystal as he recited something in his mind.
...
Afterward, a familiar sensation smoothly flowed through Ray's mind, leaving him astonished. "This!"